Tourism - Autumn 2007 - issue 133 by Tourism Society

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TOURISM The Journal for the Tourism Industry

68 new sales leads 41 contracts 4 new business ideas 3 notepads 14 cappuccinos 202 countries All at 1 event.

Quarter 3 Issue 133 Autumn 2007

Job done.

Join us at WTM 2007. Share the experience and the business.

NEW COVER TO COME

FROM THE PINK DOLLAR TO CYCLE TOURISM: MAXIMISING EMERGING MARKETS • INTERNATIONAL EMERGING DESTINATIONS • THE CHALLENGES OF USING TOURISM TO AID DEVELOPING COUNTRIES •

The Global Event for the Travel Industry

THE GROWTH OF MICE AND UK SHORT BREAK

People in all the right places

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Visit London - the city’s official visitor organisation promotes London across the world and offers ideas, advice and information to leisure and business tourism trade.

Editorial

Tourism: Environment and Development

PhD by research also available

“Emerging Market Segments” covers a vast array of destinations and market segments, too many to cover in one journal and thankfully will be explored in greater depth at Conference 2008. Articles received from members form the majority of this edition of the journal, and this highlights the depth and breadth of the society’s membership plus there are more contributions on the website.

For information contact: Senior Postgraduate Administrator +44 (0) 1865 483684 pgadmin.be@brookes.ac.uk www.brookes.ac.uk/studying/courses/ postgraduate/ted

Feedback - is a new section for your comments on articles or issues that have been raised which I hope will grow as debate flourishes. An update from the Tourism Society Consultancy Group is followed by a review of the Tourism Alliance and the Tourism Society’s involvement in it.

MSc, PGDip, PGCert, part-time or full-time study The core modules include: Sustainable Tourism Planning Destination and Event Development Visitor Interpretation

But what is an “Emerging Market Segment” in Tourism terms and how long does an emerging market segment have to be around before it stops emerging and becomes a niche? It can be a repackaged or developed existing market segment that happens to be experiencing

change, increased growth or interest such as cruising or short breaks or a relatively new aspect of tourism such as Screen Tourism. Is it perhaps time that “emerging” automatically takes into account sustainability, the affects of climate change, off-setting carbon footprint and world poverty alleviation. Often emerging destinations and emerging market segments overlap. As a mother of two very active, young, half Scottish boys who cycle, dive and ski and who are highly influenced by the “screen” I certainly feel that I belong to many emerging market segments and feel the need to benefit more from the spa and well-being or “Slow” tourism offer more. So how competitive is it how there in the world of everincreasing emerging market segments? Read on, feedback and debate either in the next journal, at regional events or at the Annual Conference.

Alison Cryer FTS | Editor

From the President’s Desk www.visitlondon.com

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Save 15% on all Superbreak hotels and short breaks People in all the right places

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At last Parliament is in recess and I am about to enjoy my favourite holiday – a two week break in a small cottage in the North Highlands. It

Then there are the ridiculous baggage rules which, it is claimed, are required to speed queues. Rubbish! There are no such rules in the US and

has two overwhelming attractions. First it has no telephone (nor mobile

having recently returned from a trip which included departing on a US

reception); and second the journey takes 40 minutes by car with no hassle. Perfect!

holiday weekend I can testify that strict security can be well managed and quick without bag restrictions.

As a weekly traveller commuting to London by air the last point has taken on greater significance. Air travel is rapidly becoming such a frustrating experience that it is a growing factor in the type of holiday people take. We now accept security is a necessary part of modern travel

On top of which BA has disposed of their own ground handlers in Scotland. The result is that you have a 25% chance of losing the luggage you have been forced to put into the hold if you are connecting at Edinburgh.

but do we really have to expect and tolerate hour plus queues? Not according to the regulator, the CAA, who have laid down a standard that requires queues to take on average no more than 10 minutes. Airport

Air travel is a key part of tourism. The time has come to end this shambles

operators are fined for non compliance. BAA has been fined six figure sums in most of the last few months. The excuse given is staff shortage, but it is hard not to come to the conclusion that nobody really cares and management do not make it a priority.

The Tourism Society Trinity Court, 34 West Street, Sutton, Surrey SM1 1SH T: 020 8661 4636 F: 020 8661 4637 Email: journal@tourismsociety.org Web: www.tourismsociety.org Registered in England No.01366846. ISSN: 02613700 Designed and produced by Sycamore. Contact Paul Wells MTS

London and theatre breaks

UK Countryside and City breaks

IT Centre, Science Park, Heslington, York YO10 5DG

Cycle Tourism - Is it economically viable for investment?

Contents The Quadruple Bottom Line

T: 01904 567670 Web: www.sycamore-uk.com

San Francisco - North America’s Top Gay-Friendly Destination

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An overview of growth and emerging markets

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Stuart Barrow MTS, Public Affairs Manager, VisitBritain

Are we MICE or sleeping giants?

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Izania Downie, Executive Director, Eventia

Tourism is the journal of the Tourism Society. The views expressed in Tourism are those of

Ancestral Tourism - Finding new ‘roots’ to market

individual authors and not necessarily those of the Tourism Society. Whilst unsolicited material is welcomed, neither transparencies nor unpublished. articles can be returned.

Event and theme park breaks

The Tourism Society cannot be held responsible for any services offered by advertisers in

Overseas City and Beach breaks

You can view all our hotels and packages at

Tourism. All correspondence must be addressed to the Editor.

...................................

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www.superbreak.com

local government, travel agencies, and tour operators, visitor attractions, accommodation

To book call 0870

UK Short Breaks An Emerging Product for Travel Agents

and catering, entertainment, information services, guiding, consultancies and education and

(7 days a week) quoting ‘Tourism Society’ to receive your 15% discount.

distributed quarterly to 1500 professionals working in national and regional tourist boards,

043 7633

training. Britain images ©www.britainonview.com

Martin Evans FTS, The Tourism Business & Screentourism.com

Slow Tourism

Tourism is only available to members of the Tourism Society and on subscription, it is

Ian Gardner MTS, Chairman of the Ancestral Tourism Steering Group

Screen Tourism

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Alison Caffyn MTS ....................

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Ian Mounser MTS, Sales Director, Superbreak Mini-Holidays Ltd

Cruise Tourism

Samantha Richardson MTS, Shore Excursion Sales & Promotions Executive, P&O Cruises

Quarter 3 ISSUE 133 Autumn 2007

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Tanya Houseman, Public Relations Manager, San Francisco Visitor & Convention Bureau

Death, Disaster and Depravity: The Dark Side of Tourism?

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Paul Williams MTS, Principal Lecturer, Staffordshire University

Responsible Skills Transfer

Simon Thorp FTS, Head of Sales and Marketing, Como Street Travel

The state of volunteer tourism - Assistance or Exploitation?

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Claudia Eckardt MTS

Branding - Rash, a Vision or a Collection

Stuart Harrison FTS, Principal, The Profitable Hotel Company

Tourism Alliance

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Ken Robinson FTS, Director, Leisure, Tourism & Recreation Ltd

Tourism Society Consultant’s Group

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Chris Wikeley FTS, Chairman, TSCG

Feedback - The Olympics 2012 Membership News Events calendar

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The Tourism Society Journal

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Joanna Hall, Marketing Manager, Sustrans

Professor Geoffrey Lipman, Adjunct Professor at Griffith University, Australia

E: paul@sycamore-uk.com

Lord Thurso FTS | President | Tourism Society

Email: journal@tourismsociety.org

Website: www.tourismsociety.org

Quarter 3 ISSUE 133 Autumn 2007

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This is critically important for poor countries which are only marginal

policymakers, industry and communities in considering the issues around

contributors to global warming but are at the centre of the MDG targets.

tourism and climate. Now we have to move beyond guidance to action.

Logic says that solutions to climate will need to come predominantly from the major polluters and that such response should help rather than

Wise Growth

hinder the Millennium Goals.

the support of the World Economic Forum and the Federal Swiss Government. In addition to the Djerba Declaration we will table a

There is one fundamental issue that needs to be recognized in this search for coherence. The need to grow air services to and between the poorest countries, particularly Africa, to fuel the tourism socio-economic engine.

The Quadruple Bottom Line

We will start with a Multi-stakeholder Summit in Davos in October, with

comprehensive report on Climate and Tourism which assesses the impacts and looks at ways and means to adapt and mitigate them. This will also reflect consideration of the Millennium development Goals.

Shortsighted attacks which demonize aviation’s climate impacts need to

The Davos meeting is open to any public or private sector player as well

be balanced with the airlines’ real efforts to factor climate response into

as civil society who will hopefully bring their viewpoints to the table. It

operational patterns; with the efficiency efforts of aircraft manufacturers;

will be followed by a Tourism Ministerial in London in November hosted

with the prospects for emission trading and offsetting as well as the

by the World Travel Market and supported by the UK Government

scope or new clean energy technology. But most importantly they must

focusing the results of Davos into an updated Declaration. This will then

be balanced with the fact that aviation is the essential lifeline for tourism

be presented at the end of that month to UNWTO’s governing Assembly

driven exports and jobs. There are no alternatives for poor countries.

in Cartagena, Columbia.

UNWTO is determined to ensure that coherence and balance will be

Ultimately all these inputs will be delivered to the UN World Conference

factored into the ultimate response. Working with committed partners

on Climate in Bali in December – looking to deliver, balanced global

like UNEP and the World Meteorological Organization, we are

strategies on climate which are coherent with the poverty agenda. It

undertaking a series of defining events around the world this year,

must include a framework which also meets the needs of society for

designed to inject a tourism perspective into the evolving global

mobility, people to people exchange and the massive commercial flows

framework.

that are tourism.

The starting point is our 2003 Djerba Declaration on Tourism & Climate

Professor Geoffrey Lipman | Adjunct Professor at Griffith University, Australia | Special Advisor to UNWTO

developed long before the issue had risen to the top of the geopolitical agenda. It was developed both as a wake up call and guidance for

Pensions in Tourism For people in Tourism

In the late 90’s the UK Government set out its Tourism Strategy and I

well suited to support the MDGs – poorer countries all have important

had the privilege of chairing the group that developed the sustainability

tourism export flows, direct impacts of tourism at community level is

chapter. It was called “Wise Growth” and predicated on the so called

significant and catalytic indirect effects on other economic activities are

“triple bottom line” – balancing social, economic and ecological needs,

substantial. Tourism is a crosscutting sector which can provide valuable

> Complete control of investments.

but recognizing the imperative of growth in any overall conservation

inputs and synergies with infrastructure, communications and

> Massive investment choices.

strategy.

investment. At the local level it has unique potential for marginalized

> Amalgamation of old personal pensions and FSAVCs.

communities, for young people and for women.

> Access to benefits through drawdown without buying annuities.

Tourism is also an important element in the global response to climate

> Flexible benefits format to suit individual circumstances.

Rereading it today it wasn’t bad for its time. But that time was before the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): the Africa Commission: an Inconvenient Truth and the Stern Report. Before Live Aid and Live Earth. Before the Poverty Imperative took control of the global agenda and the Climate Change Imperative threatened to push it aside.

change. Changes in temperature, sea levels, snowfields and land use will

A Self Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) facility is a good solution for anyone wanting:

> Aggregate contributions up to the level of earnings (£225,000 p.a. max - subject to annual allowance and lifetime limits).

radically change tourism capabilities and hence trade and development patterns of states and communities. This is relevant for all states but

Now, the G8 has hammered out a new deal on climate change, agreeing

particularly so for developing countries generally and Africa specifically. At

> In specie assets transferred as a tax relieved contribution.

to work within the UN framework to develop global solutions. They also

the same time, the tourism value chain has a defined and highly visible

> Group arrangements for tourism businesses or individual plans for privacy.

reconfirmed commitments to Africa on poverty and debt.

carbon footprint that will increase significantly based on growth Despite some claims in the media, the SIPP concept does not have to be an expensive solution (we are not all day traders or speculative investors) and nor does it need to be complicated but it will certainly suit many wishing to put more focus on retirement planning.

projections. Transport generally is an important factor and air transport So “Wise Growth” requires a new “quadruple bottom line”. It must

specifically because of the current absence of clean alternative energy.

include what UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has called a coherent strategy on Climate and Poverty.

Clearly States will now have to reframe their tourism policies in the context of their overall strategies to deal with the meteorological and

This is highly relevant for tourism.

Call Barry Meloy, Independent Financial Adviser for People in Tourism:

geographic realities like coastal impacts, water needs, desertification and

Tourism is a key sector in the global war on poverty, an instrument for

the like. The Industry will have to mitigate, to adapt and to embrace new

African socio-economic renaissance and a major contributor to the

technologies. Communities and Consumers will have to shift products

MDGs. Tourism can create jobs and export income like no other sector. It

and practices - with ecotourism as a major point of focus and carbon

is a big part of the poorest countries competitive advantage. Tourism is

neutrality as a pivotal component.

020 8313 0532 The Pensions Administration Service | MC Associates Oakwood House | Hayes Road | Bromley BR2 9AA Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority

The Tourism Society Journal

Without interfering with any existing occupational pensions already in place, the Pensions Simplification legislation introduced last year presents some great opportunities for those who can or need to boost their retirement income expectations (the old limitations have gone!)

Quarter 3 ISSUE 133 Autumn 2007

Email: journal@tourismsociety.org

Website: www.tourismsociety.org

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Slumbering Giants Awake An overview of growth and emerging markets

VisitBritain has therefore restructured to devote more resources, and

To counter the negative perceptions, VisitBritain is active in British Public

personnel, to Asian markets. This matters. Asia is both an opportunity and

Diplomacy, working with such partners as FCO, UKVisas and the British

a threat. As it develops it creates competition (supply) as well as new

Council as the public face of Britain abroad to potential inbound visitors!

consumers (demand) to the marketplace. But we are wise to the world

We recently launched a new Britain Showreel, including one specifically

market. Indeed, according to the WTO, in 2005, Asia-Pacific tourism

targeted at the growing youth market i.e. growth markets are not just by

receipts grew 4% compared to Europe’s 2%. Britain fared much better

country of origin but by market sector.

with 8% growth overall – but there is plenty of potential to learn from success elsewhere to boost growth from Asia.

One particularly interesting sector is Business Visits and Events. Over the past decade there has been a 53% growth in all business trips, exceeding

The forecast growth in outbound visits by world region is as follows:

the overall tourism growth rate. Around 8 million business visits are made to the UK each year with international business visitors contributing more than £4 billion to the British economy. The sector generates 27% of all expenditure by overseas visitors Business visitors spend nearly 3 times more than leisure travellers and it is estimated that 40% of all business visitors return for a leisure visit. Although ranked third in league tables, Britain receives less than five per

When asked why he wanted to scale Everest, George Mallory is said to

One of the more recent barriers to growth in world tourism was the Cold

have replied: “Because it is there.” He later said he’d have meant it

War. Who would have believed twenty years ago that well over one

The challenge is to maximize the number of those outbound visits that

flippantly if indeed he’d said it at all. But, like Mandy Rice-Davies’ “well

million Poles a year would visit Britain in 2006 (up an astonishing 637%

are inbound to Britain.

he would, wouldn’t he?” this answer sticks in your mind; more antidote

on 2000), spending £540m (up 800% on 2000) making Poland the UK’s

than answer, it kills the question. Why are tourists attracted to the Great

8th biggest inbound market for both volume and value? That Chinese

Wall of China, the Statue of Liberty, the British Museum or Table

Approved Destination Status tourists would ride a huge steel and glass

Mountain? Because they are there. Why visit Melbourne? Why not? In

Ferris wheel on London’s South Bank – or that Audio Guides would be

fact, Tourism Australia ask, where the bloody hell are you?!

available to visitors to St Paul’s Cathedral in Mandarin (or Russian for that matter)?

it is there? The fact is that the vast majority of us don’t visit somewhere

why Mallory actually tried to climb Everest; I mean, physically set out to

doing so, make it easier – and more desirable – to follow.

part of the UK to bring new events to our shores – not least the

unfortunate perception of Britain as a relatively unwelcoming

Commonwealth Games to Glasgow in 2014.

destination. While the UK is consistently the world’s number one Nation recognises that England will never be ‘all things to all men’, and that we

2006, the fastest growth in visits to Britain was generally in visits from

perceptions of the visitor welcome.

need to identify and concentrate upon those groups of people most

growth from Greece and Malaysia:

likely to offer real market growth. So since April 2003 England Research Some progress has already been made. As the graph shows, in Q2 2005

have been working continuously to define who exactly England’s

the UK scored roughly an average of little over 4.4 (out of 7) among our

customers are, and what makes them tick.

three biggest markets for inbound visits (USA, France and Germany) and the huge emerging ‘BRIC’ markets (Brazil, Russia, India and China). By Q1

Historically the English tourism industry has always had access to a lot of

2007 this average was well over 4.7.

data about what British holiday makers do, but not why they do it.

Emerging Markets

Visits 2006

Visits 2005

Visits 2000

% Growth on 2000-06

Poland

1,326,000

1,041,000

18,000

637%

The segmentation work and a TRI*M study have broadened our understanding to a new level, see

their dream. There are always barriers in the way: it’s all too difficult, I

then, for pioneers and discoverers who challenge the obstacles and, in

Paralympic Games has sparked heightened efforts from virtually every One potential barrier to growth that we have identified is the

5th as a tourist destination and a relatively lowly 14th-16th in terms of

Emerging Markets (IPS 2000-2206) VisitBritain

don’t have the right shoes, it costs too much money. Thank goodness,

business and cultural events. The lure of the 2012 Olympic and

VisitBritain has identified 11 key emerging markets. Between 20000-

do it (it killed him after all). It is always so much easier to understand why people dream than comprehend why and how they actually fulfill

with destination partners in securing and marketing major sporting,

Domestically, there are growth markets by segment too. Our strategy

Central and Eastern Europe. Worryingly, we have experienced negative

“because it is there” any more than the vast majority can understand

EventBritain, therefore, is a new unit within VisitBritain intended to work

Brand under the GMI/Anholt Index (see my article, TSJ Issue 131) it ranks

Of course the Australian Tourist Commission’s slogan is actually a statement of incredulity: how come we’re not all visiting Australia when

cent of the global events market so the growth potential is huge.

Hungary

278,000

274,000

102,000

173%

China

107,000

95,000

41,000

161%

Russia

241,000

177,000

100,000

141%

Czech Republic

323,000

292,000

134,000

141%

And finally, a call to arms. If you have yet to back Glasgow’s truly superb

South Korea

153,000

149,000

111,000

38%

bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, time is running out… visit

India

367,000

272,000

206,000

32%

www.glasgow2014.com today and help us grow the market!

Thailand

58,000

52,000

44,000

31%

Mexico

88,000

78,000

69,000

28%

Malaysia

85,000

86,000

92,000

-8%

Greece

179,000

199,000

224,000

-20%

www.tourismtrade.org.uk/Images/England%20Product%20Segment%20F it_tcm12-12334.pdf.

It helps if the pioneer is a celebrity: Ko Phi Phi in Thailand really took off after Leonardo de Caprio filmed “The Beach” there; our own dear Worthing developed as a seaside resort around an 18th century convalescent trip by Princess Isabel; Lincoln Cathedral saw visitor numbers increase by 400% after starring with Tom Hanks in the Da Vinci Code; and Cardiff has a whole new market of Dr Who tourists looking for daleks! These are examples of emergent or growth destinations benefiting from emergent or growth markets.

Stuart Barrow MTS | Public Affairs Manager | VisitBritain

The Tourism Society Journal

Quarter 3 ISSUE 133 Autumn 2007

Email: journal@tourismsociety.org

Website: www.tourismsociety.org

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Are we MICE or sleeping giants? Coming to terms with the burgeoning business tourism industry

Ancestral Tourism

IAN GARDNER PIC?

Finding new ‘roots’ to market 55+ age bracket although this subject area is of interest to a wide range

The term ‘MICE’ is one used extensively by suppliers to the business

The speakers shared a number of statistics relating to the business

tourism industry; although strangely it’s not one favoured by the

tourism sector, including the fact that annual spend on business tourism

industry’s practitioners. Whether this is because they feel that a brand

in the UK - embracing conferences, exhibitions, incentive travel and

aligned to diminutive, incontinent rodents is unhelpful, or whether that

corporate hospitality is now valued at £22 billion – that’s 26% of

one word seems nowadays to be rooted in the past, I can’t say, but

Britain’s total tourism revenue of £85 billion.

of people. Not surprisingly, the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are the main origins of overseas visitors, but, with the success of TV programmes like Who Do You Think You Are?, family history has a very strong appeal for UK residents, as well. So what else has the steering group, and the initiative as a whole,

organisers of conferences, incentive travel, exhibitions and other corporate events visibly flinch when the word is used, and few of their clients are familiar with it outside of the pet shop.

Far from being an emerging sector, business tourism has been described

achieved? The steering group has always seen its role as communicating

as ‘the sleeping giant’. It has been around for a long time and has every

the opportunities from this market to the tourism industry and not in

reason to look forward to continued growth in the years to come.

managing communications to consumers. By improving awareness and understanding of the market’s needs, stimulating new product

Eventia is the trade association representing conference and incentive travel organisers, live communications agencies, producers of experiential marketing activity, performance improvement companies and corporate entertainment agencies – as well as suppliers of services to these event

Globalisation will boost the industry still further: every merger and acquisition will drive the need for companies to hold integration meetings, especially now that business is no longer restricted to local or even national communities.

management companies. Those involved in marketing both Eventia and the events industry as a whole have long been aware that part of this confused identity lies in the fact that members’ services straddle two unrelated fields of business activity. In one camp is the marketing sector: corporate spend on

There are many reasons why people choose Scotland as a holiday destination – heritage, scenery, festivals, golf and city breaks all rate

has been that the experience on the ground will be enhanced and the

highly – but a new growth area is coming from ‘ancestral tourism’. The

‘promise’ made by VisitScotland’s consumer marketing will be delivered

principle is simple – as online archives become more accessible, and

beyond expectations. Workshops, a conference, fact sheets, presentations

Early fears that the internet could herald the end of meetings have

greater numbers of people around the world trace their family roots, the

at industry events, communications with public sector support agencies

proven to be unfounded: in a business environment dominated by online

next step is for them to travel to, and experience for themselves, the very

and a regular e-newsletter, now delivered to some 550 individuals and

communication the need for people to meet face-to-face is more

places where previous generations have lived, worked, been married or

businesses (you can sign up, too, by contacting gillian@tals.co.uk) have all

important than ever.

died. To try to better understand this market, an ‘Ancestral Tourism

helped to develop and maintain interest in ancestral tourism. The

Initiative’, spearheaded by an industry-led steering group and involving

appointment of a Project Manager, on a contract basis, has helped greatly in turning good ideas into positive action and without that enthusiasm

conferences, incentive programmes, corporate hospitality and exhibiting

But there is no scope for complacency. International terrorism and the

staff from VisitScotland, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands

most frequently comes out of corporate marketing budgets, and as an

effects of climate change are just two of the issues that will have an

Enterprise, was set up in 2002 and continues to work with a wide range

impact on our business. Agencies will need to be on top of their

of stakeholders today.

industry our mission is to gain a larger slice of the marketing pie from our neighbours in advertising, PR and direct marketing.

development and highlighting best practice across the country, our hope

and commitment, there is no doubt that far less would have been achieved.

corporate clients’ current and future requirements, and in a move to

In the other camp is the tourism industry. The pioneers of conference and incentive travel in the early 70s were all spin-offs from mainstream tour operators or travel agents, and even today the new generation of more marketing-orientated agencies are still bound by tourism legislation such as the Package Travel and ATOL Regulations.

bridge the gap between business tourism and marketing, some of those agencies that have historically specialised in corporate group travel, may progressively extend their services into the UK-based business-toconsumer experiential event arena.

Izania Downie | Executive Director | Eventia

Eventia is one of 11 trade associations that collectively form the Business Tourism Partnership. Together with the leading UK tourist boards and

Among the first tasks for the steering group was to establish the market potential and the opportunity for Scotland. Research showed that some 50 million people around the world could claim Scots ancestry (however tenuously) and moreover, as visitors, ancestral tourists are important, since they tend to stay longer and spend more than others. With the growth in genealogy itself, it is anticipated that the number of ancestral tourists could rise in the future to between 300,000 and 800,000

several government agencies the Partnership works to raise the sector’s profile to government and regulatory bodies.

trips annually, with visitors travelling all

The initiative has brought benefits to the tourism industry as a whole, as the subject has appealed to a number of non-core tourism audiences such as archives centres, genealogists, registrars and churches, helping them appreciate that tourism is ‘their business’, too. It has also given hotels, tour operators and attractions a new sustainable market to pursue. Although ancestral tourism is year-round, 2009 will provide a particularly significant opportunity when Scotland celebrates its ‘Year of Homecoming’ and many more people are expected to visit Scotland to

across the country, since previous

see the places, which shaped the lives of past family members. Hopefully

As part of the first ever British Tourism Week in March 2007. Eventia, in

generations emigrated from a variety of

the work of the Ancestral Tourism Initiative will help to ensure that their

association with the British Tourism Partnership, hosted a top-level

locations and each ancestral tourist has

experiences are so good that they will influence their own future

their own ‘journey’ to follow.

generations to keep coming home to Scotland.

events industry sustains and supports Britain’s business community. It

Ancestral tourists tend to be older

was attended by 70 business leaders and journalists.

people, with over half coming into the

Ian Gardner MTS | Chairman of the Ancestral Tourism Steering Group

breakfast briefing to show politicians and the wider public how the

The Tourism Society Journal

Quarter 3 ISSUE 133 Autumn 2007

Email: journal@tourismsociety.org

Website: www.tourismsociety.org

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Screen Tourism Re-emerging every year! successes included “Marie Antoinette” (Paris and Versailles), “A Good Year” (Provence), “Borat” (Kazakstan) and Pirates of the Caribbean III. The year promises to finish strongly for the UK with Harry Potter on film and DVD, Cate Blanchett’s starring in “The Golden Age”, and the screen adaptation of Philippa Gregory’s “The Other Boleyn Girl”. North of the border, tourism hopes are being pinned on The Waterhorse, the feature film which is designed to do for Loch Ness what Braveheart did for the Wallace Monument and Stirling. What was your first memory of film tourism? Was it “Heartbeat”,

The travel trade has seen London launch a Bollywood Movie Map and

showcasing its stunning North Yorkshire scenery on your television on a

Yorkshire host the Indian International Film Academy Awards, an event

Sunday night? Was it “Braveheart” – first of Scotland’s so-called Tartan

which brought thousands of stars, producers and location managers into

movies? Or do you remember back as far as “The Prisoner”, when

the north of England. The first-ever London International Screen Tourism

millions marvelled at North Wales’ Italianesque village of Portmeirion?

Conference (www.screentourism.com) attracted over 100 tourism and film professionals to BAFTA in March, and a new conference on “Film,

Well, film and television tourism, now commonly known as “screen

Television, Tourism & Regeneration”, is being hosted by Leeds

tourism”, has most definitely come of age. But that’s not to say that it’s not still an emerging market. In fact, as new movies and tv dramas

Metropolitan University (www.tourism-culture.com) on 15th November. While overseas destinations such as Malta have film tourism maps on

feature new destinations and attractions each and every year, this is

their website www.visitmalta.com.

certainly a market which generates new products and new reasons to travel continuously.

Chasing the Holy Grail New film and TV tourism opportunities will continue to emerge. From a

Just how big is film tourism?

marketing perspective, film tourism is tied into two of the most powerful

Latest research from the UK Film Council, announced this July, claims

marketing mantras of the age – global exposure, and brand recognition.

that one in ten of all tourists to Britain have probably been influenced to visit by the images of Britain that they have seen in the cinema or on

The future will see more destination and attraction “product placement”. But it will also see further fragmentation of the media – and, with the

television. This equates to a massive £1.8 billion of revenue, or over

advent of websites like youtube, everyone can be their own producer and

3 million visitors for Britain.

distributor. Even you!

2006 was something of a watershed year for film tourism in the UK, with the DVD release of “Pride and Prejudice”, and the cinema releases of “The Da Vinci Code” and “Miss Potter” – all popular films which could be

And, just as new countries like China and Oman emerge as tourism powers, so are the same countries doing all they can to attract filmmaking.

considered case studies in film tourism marketing good practice, and

The competition is getting tougher, and perhaps

which generated millions of pounds of free advertising for

UK tourism operators nationwide would do

Lincolnshire/Derbyshire, London/Lincoln/Edinburgh, and the Lake District respectively.

well to finalise plans now for a major screentourism opportunity which doesn’t lie on the cinema screen or in a TV drama, and only comes around once a

2007 and beyond

lifetime……but more about the Olympics elsewhere!

2007 started well for the UK with the return of British superspy James Bond in “Casino Royale”, and whilst Venice and Montenegro were also film tourism beneficiaries, Britain’s “Bond Bounce” was back. Overseas

Martin Evans FTS | The Tourism Business & Screentourism.com

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Slow Tourism A Snail’s Pace or a Lifestyle

UK Short Breaks An Emerging Product for Travel Agents

Some might say that this form of holiday is just a luxury for the well-off.

With the seemingly inevitable growth of the internet as a prime

itineraries, cruises etc. Consequently their customer base is moving more

However packing less into your holiday, travelling fewer miles and buying

mechanism by which the public book their travel and leisure

upmarket and these customers have a high propensity to take U.K hotel

local products can also reduce costs. Others might argue that this sort of

arrangements, one could be forgiven for thinking that the travel agent’s

breaks.

holiday is nothing new - two week breaks relaxing by the Mediterranean

days are numbered. Travel agents have great access to content rich, easily bookable websites,

have always been popular. However the concept brings together many aspects of tourism including gourmet trips, cultural tourism, health breaks

This may particularly be the view when considering U.K. hotel breaks,

whereby they can offer everything their customers could get themselves

and sustainable tourism, but it re-packages these concepts and gives a

presumably a relatively homogeneous product that’s easy to source and

at the same price.

new emphasis to time. It is about what is good for the visitor, as well as

book on the web. I have to say that this is not our experience over the

for the environment.

past 12 months. Indeed, in the 14 months May 2006 to June 2007

The implications for tourism destinations include the need to:

inclusive, Superbreak achieved sales of 417,500 customers through the U.K. travel agency community on domestic hotel breaks (excluding

• provide quality service and products Escaping the speed and pressure of our everyday lives is a common • provide locations for relaxing - outdoor cafes, pedestrianised

motivation for taking a relaxing holiday but a new trend is developing whereby people are specifically choosing a slow holiday that embraces

areas, viewpoints and picnic sites

slow travel, slow activities and slow food. The slow movement has grown

• promote local food, products, crafts and culture

over the last decade and includes organisations such as Slow Food and

• improve environmental quality and green aspects - recycling,

CittaSlow. Carl Honoré’s recent book In Praise of Slow explains the ethos - taking time to enjoy quality products and activities fully. It includes a strong environmental thread which encourages reducing travel miles of

transport • develop interpretation which prompts creative thought and contemplation.

products and people and doing away with unnecessary technology. The

airport hotels), compared to 371,800 for the 14 months May 2005 to June 2006. This shows a growth of 12.3%, although the rate of growth in

The increasing amount of ‘packaging’, whereby agents can book hotel, rail, theatre, theme park, attraction, concert ticket etc. in one transaction, is enabling agents to add value to the multi-component booking process. The fact that the best seats for the top West End shows are often a scarce commodity simply adds to this point. U.K. hotel break ‘packages’ are also a product which the main High Street travel agency chains like

the most recent months has been even higher.

to promote in their windows as a means of attracting customer interest. How can this be when there continues to be a steady decline in the number of High Street travel agencies? Well, there are specific market factors of course. One key driver over recent months for instance has been demand for London theatre breaks on the back of T.V.

Travel agents are increasingly seeing the associated longer-term customer loyalty and value arguments. U.K. short breaks are habit forming, have a high repeat purchase element, a low complaint ratio and low transaction costs. In addition, most U.K. short break takers also happen to be high spenders on quality overseas travel. So there is real virtue in attracting

word ‘slow’ has many negative connotations: sluggish, time-consuming

Encouraging people to slow down, relax and be good to themselves on

exposure for The Sound of Music, Grease

and stupid: but there are others which would be more enticing for a

holiday should not be a difficult sell. It is a big market and could appeal

and Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor

holiday; leisurely, dawdling, lingering.

particularly to older consumers which is a growing segment. Tourism

Dreamcoat. But I believe there’s more to it

So do the prospects for the next 12 months still look rosy? Will U.K.

businesses could apply some of the concepts to existing products, for

than that. There are many fundamental

hotel breaks emerge even further as an important and profitable part of

reasons why travel agents as a whole are

the travel agent’s product mix?

Slow tourism involves making real and meaningful connections with

example:

people, places, culture, food, heritage and environment. Thus rather than • offering relaxation facilities, spas, massages, etc.

taking a trip featuring speed and adrenaline - busy itineraries, theme

perhaps embracing U.K. short breaks

parks, whistle-stop tours, mini-breaks, and motorised sports - slow

• offering itineraries which involve more time and rest

more and, consequently, why

holidays would include taking things at a ‘civilised’ pace, having long

• perhaps offering shorter and longer versions of the same trip

this sector can be increasingly

meals, soaking up the atmosphere and exploring heritage sites. Doing less

• offering just one meal sitting and not rushing customers

but in more depth. Slow holidays are about authenticity, getting a buzz not from speed but from places, interaction with people, meals, music etc.

• banishing technology and mobile phones. There is also an opportunity for specific niche slow breaks or slow

Slow holidays could include using a slow form of transport - walking, cycling, canoeing, canal or train. They may feature slow activities such as

destinations such as Ludlow in Shropshire or a canal trip in Oxfordshire.

lucrative for agents going

travel agent homeworkers are emerging, who tend to look after the full

Terracotta Warriors exhibitions arriving this Winter, the public’s constant

travel agent is moving out of

desire for quick ‘recharge the batteries’ breaks plus the ever improving

the traditional package

variety/quality of U.K. hotels, and you have a recipe for success.

holiday market in favour of

being holidays, spas, yoga or other de-stressing activities are other

distances to their holiday and try to pack less into their trip. People may

examples. For children it might imply giving them space and time to play

offering more

learn to leave their BlackBerries behind and aim to nourish their soul

freely and creatively rather than programming structured activities. The

through proper relaxation and authentic experiences.

Alison Caffyn MTS

targeting them more skilfully with specific products. Secondly, more

the continuing buoyancy of London’s West End, the Tutankhamun and The average independent

Tourists themselves may want to negotiate longer holidays, travel shorter

great distance.

Firstly, agents are developing better customer databases all the time and

range of their customers’ travel needs including short breaks. Add to this

forward;

crafts, art, cooking or wildlife watching. The recent resurgence in well-

slow ethos encourages staying longer, particularly if you have travelled a

these customers.

specialised products, tailor made

In the case of U.K. hotel breaks, travel agents can definitely emerge as an even stronger force.

Ian Mounser MTS | Sales Director | Superbreak Mini-Holidays Ltd

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Cruise Tourism One of the Fastest Growing Sectors

Since 1995 the global cruise industry has experienced significant growth

So who are the key players?

with worldwide passenger numbers trebling. Passenger numbers for 2007

The largest cruise organisation operating in the UK market is Carnival UK

are expected to reach 12.62 million and continue to rise above 20 million

Group (part of Carnival Corporation and PLC), with 42% of the market

by 2011. Although this is a significant growth globally, it is the UK

across its five brands – P&O Cruises, Cunard, Princess, Ocean Village and

market that has begun to excite the key players in this market.

Yachts of Seabourn.

The UK cruise market currently stands at 1.25 million passengers (2006),

Other operators include Royal Caribbean Corporation Limited (14%), TUI

and with an annual increase of 12%, it is growing much faster than the

(12%), Island Cruises (6%), Fred Olsen (5%) and the remaining 16%

package holiday business in the UK (just 4% growth per annum). With

comprises of mostly river cruises and niche ocean cruise lines.

that in mind it is no surprise that companies more typically associated with the package holiday in the UK, such as TUI, operate a cruise division.

What is the future? In a nutshell the real growth areas are younger passengers and families.

So why is cruising so popular?

Recent research has shown that there are 5 million people in the UK who

There is one argument that says the growth in the cruise industry has

have been on a cruise and would like to cruise again, further to that there

been fuelled by a rapid increase in capacity and linked with that a

are 15 million people in the UK who have never cruised but would like to

reduction in the cost of cruising. In the UK alone the increase in capacity

at some point in the future and more positive than negative views about

has been significant, for example P&O Cruises has grown from two to five

cruising. There is also another 7.5 million who hold positive attitudes

ships in the last 10 years and they have a sixth ship due to enter service

about cruising but are unsure about taking one.

in April 2008. Globally the number of cruise ships is growing rapidly and

The Travel Agent currently plays a significant role in the Cruise industry

each year since 2001 at least nine new ships have been launched. New

producing 82% of all bookings. The importance of the travel agent is

itineraries are constantly being introduced to include developing

expected to continue, therefore ensuring that the agents understand the

destinations such as Granada in the Caribbean. This increase in capacity is

product is crucial to performance in the market.

sure to have had an impact on growth, but there is another argument.

Sugar & Spice and all things nice, that’s what Grenada is made of. ‘The Spice of the Caribbean’, Grenada is one of the Caribbean's best loved ports of call, with many cruise visitors who experience the island's charms on a day excursion, returning for a longer stay. Listen to the rhythm of the waves, gently lapping the shores of 50 picturesque white beaches, where sparkling seas invite you to explore reefs, wrecks and a vast array of marine life. Choose from secluded 5 star luxury, pretty cottages and thatched beach houses. Take in a beautiful sunset with a traditional rum punch, then experience warm Grenadian hospitality at one of our world class restaurants. From its dramatic lush mountain ranges to its charming spice plantations, rich in culture and history, Grenada is the perfect holiday destination.

For island information call Grenada Board of Tourism on 020 8877 4516

With a potential market equal to nearly half the UK population, strong The other argument is that cruising has increased in popularity because

backing by travel agents and a reduction is costs to the passenger, cruising is likely to continue to grow in the UK, which is why more and

of the level of service and product choice that it offers. In a relatively static package holiday business, where it is increasingly difficult to find

more operators are beginning to offer ex-UK departures. Cruise tourism is already a strong part of our heritage and certainly seems set to be part

new places to visit, cruising offers those wishing to take a holiday a

of our future. completely different experience. Cruise holidays also enjoy higher satisfaction rates than all other types of vacation, with four out of five people that have taken a cruise saying they would cruise again.

Samantha Richardson MTS | Shore Excursion Sales & Promotions Executive | P&O Cruises

www.grenadagrenadines.com email:grenada@representationplus.co.uk

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Cycle Tourism Is it economically viable for investment?

The Pink Dollar San Francisco - North America’s Top Gay-Friendly Destination

Over the past few years One NorthEast has provided considerable support to the regional cycle tourism programme. In 2006 ‘The Economic Tourism, San Francisco's largest industry, generates in excess of

There are hundreds of events that add to the LGBT experience in San

$7.3 billion annually for the local economy. In the first quarter of 2007

Francisco. Pride Month is in June when the annual parade and celebration

the San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau (SFCVB) commissioned

on the final weekend and a renowned film festival draw 500,000 or more,

Community Marketing, Inc. (CMI), to survey gay and lesbian consumers

making it one of the largest events in the state of California and the

Tourism Project funded through One NorthEast’s Single Programme. It

regarding their travel habits and motivators, and to provide data and

largest pride parade in the world today.

focused on economic impacts of four National Cycle Network routes -

analysis to assist the SFCVB in increasing its share of the gay and lesbian

the C2C (Sea to Sea), the Coast and Castles, Hadrian’s Cycleway and the

tourism market.

Impact of Cycle Tourism in North East England’, was conducted by the Institute of Transport & Tourism at the University of Central Lancashire, Loughborough University, and Sustrans, as part of the Regional Cycle

One of the disadvantages of San Francisco being such a popular LGBT1 destination for so many years is that most gays and lesbians over 45

northern section of the Pennine Cycleway.

Sustrans is the UK’s leading sustainable transport charity, and the

The American gay and lesbian community represents a $55 billion travel

have already visited the city (often many times). At the same time, other

The research used a unique approach to produce a ‘bottom-up’ measure,

industry. However, gay and lesbian travel and tourism represents a much

destinations are new to the LGBT market and are heavily advertising in

differing from most analyses on tourism activity. This therefore

larger percentage of the overall travel market based on frequency and

the LGBT media. The research shows that LGBT tourism to San Francisco

represents an internationally significant contribution to research, as well

spending.

is somewhat vulnerable for these reasons.

The 2006 travel survey by the Travel Industry Association, in association

Ultimately, gay and lesbian people are still very positive about the City,

with Witeck-Combs and Harris Interactive concluded that the top gay-

but the lure of new destinations is strong. San Francisco must present

friendly U.S. and Canadian destinations were:

itself as a dynamic city with new experiences around every corner. Also in

as providing an exceptionally accurate way of measuring the impact of

organisation behind the National Cycle Network – 12,000 miles of

cycling activity in the North East region.

cycling and walking routes, passing within a couple of miles of 75% of the UK population. It connects towns, villages, countryside, coast, rail and bus stations and thousands of attractions and serves as an alternative to

The research revealed:

• San Francisco, CA (76%)

• route users contributed £9.6 million of direct expenditure to the

• Key West, FL (57%)

participants strongly expressed that they are opportunistic when it

• New York, NY (51%)

comes to tourism pricing. They will travel to competing destinations that

• this represents a value of £13.4 million to the wider economy

• Fire Island, NY (48%)

are perceived as gay-friendly if the price significantly beats San Francisco.

• this supports 216 jobs in the immediate vicinity of the routes

• Provincetown, MA (46%)

As far as what gay and lesbian travellers are looking for, research

• route users from out-of-region generated £5.9 million, supporting

• Montreal, QC (44%)

indicates that the gay tourist is looking for what other tourists are

• Toronto, ON (39%)

looking for in San Francisco -they want to see the sights and attractions

the car from home and whilst on holiday. Sustrans, and its partners, is presently focused on linking people and

North East economy

communities to the Network and creating local routes for everyday journeys by bike and foot. In 2006, 338 million trips were made on the National Cycle Network. In environmental terms this represents a potential saving of 437,000 tonnes of CO2. One of the results of the Network’s astounding development has been its iconic tourist routes

95 full-time equivalent jobs

such as the long distance C2C route in the North of England and The

• users attribute an additional amenity value of £1.7 million to

Camel Trail in Cornwall which attracts over 500,000 trips along its

the routes

17 miles each year. Routes such as these, as well as being destinations and attractions in their own right help sustain the economy by supplying

• cycling activity is important to local supply chains, with major implications for the circulation of income in the local

trade to local businesses along and near the routes.

the competitive world of tourism, San Francisco must be seen is an

• between them the routes attracted over half a million trips

• Los Angeles, CA (38%)

• Miami/South Beach, FL (37%)

People are becoming more environmentally aware and the pressure to

• Palm Springs/Palm Desert, CA (33%)

demand. One low carbon form of tourism that is already on the increase

reduce carbon footprint along with personal security is pushing a

• Boston, MA (29%)

and with investment will become even more popular is Cycle Tourism. The

demand for a more sustainable tourism offering. Cycle Tourism is a low

environment will help encourage gay travellers to the market. For the full research report please visit www.tourismsociety.org/Journal133.

• Chicago, IL (29%)

National Cycle Network already provides a unique infrastructure for this

carbon form of tourism; it also delivers real income to the local economy

type of tourism but Cycle Tourism, in reality is seen as the poor relation to

indicating its suitability to match emerging market preferences for

While San Francisco’s success in reaching and serving the gay and lesbian

activities such as golf. In the majority of areas, investment by the tourist

sustainable near-to-home holiday with lower environmental impacts.

travel market is evident, competition to attract gay and lesbian visitors is

evidence of its economic viability hasn’t really been known, until now.

provide via our many fine arts museums, restaurants and flagship stores. What can other destinations learn? That providing a gay-friendly

markets, a focus on near-to-home destinations will be essential and in

Joanna Hall | Marketing Manager | Sustrans

food and shopping, which San Francisco as a destination is able to

• Las Vegas, NV (35%) • New Orleans, LA (34%)

industry hasn’t been placed into Cycle Tourism within the UK because the

that can only be found here, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, riding a cable car, visiting Alcatraz, etc. They are also looking for cultural activities,

• Vancouver, BC (38%)

tourism economy As personal security, energy prices and climate change start to modify

overall good value compared to these emerging destinations. Focus group

Tanya Houseman | Public Relations Manager | San Francisco Visitor & Convention Bureau

becoming more aggressively competitive. Currently, CMI tracks

75 destinations outreaching to the gay and lesbian market.

and Transgender people.

The initial LGBT is used to refer collectively to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,

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Dark Tourism Death, Disaster and Depravity: The Dark Side of Tourism?

Responsible Tourism Responsible Skills Transfer The list of “off the beaten track” options grows daily: Cultural, dark and

NGOs who don’t have corporate partners but do have a government

pink tourism... Few “niche” emerging markets have more mainstream

grant or other funding can still be more effective if they focus on

potential than Responsible Tourism, fewer carry as many risks.

minimising administration costs and building a database of skilled

Over the past decade there has been considerable evidence to suggest

of dark tourism. Yet they are clearly differentiated by their degree of

that dark tourism has grown exponentially from an esoteric product

darkness. In 2006 Philip Stone, a leading dark tourism researcher,

targeted at a niche market to a proliferation of tourism experiences that

proposed a typology of dark tourism products located along a ‘darkest-

The ethos of responsible tourism is reduction of social and environmental

encompass a spectrum of macabre tourism products of varying shades of

lightest’ spectrum.

impact. Admirable; the reality can be the opposite. With UK currency

volunteers who have opted for early retirement or want to take time out through altruism to teach people something of lasting value. Some volunteers will even pay for their own flight, the biggest assignment cost

darkness. The growing number of dark tourism attractions is a clear

strong and access to new destinations easier, the floodgates are open,

element. The potential is almost limitless, with a bit of organisation,

industry response to increased consumer fascination with all aspects of

but are developing communities prepared for the wave approaching?

needs assessment and skill matching; applying a commercial HR

tragedy or suffering, albeit from a vicarious perspective. Making sure we don’t drop litter or feed local wildlife is one thing. The pursuit of visiting such sites was previously considered to be

Leaving countries, which have not had to deal with mass visitor numbers,

acceptable on the basis that there was sufficient chronological distance

as they would wish, is another. Operators will fight for lowest prices to

approach to a not-for-profit situation. It works best the closer such work gets to grass roots in local communities. Training for trainers and workers, thus empowering local people to get more involved and effective at the work they do.

between the macabre events themselves and the actual visit.

improve their competitive edge. Consumers will haggle for the cheapest

Commemorative visits to historical battlefields or the first and second

food, drink and souvenirs. This amounts to continued poverty for local

We shouldn’t abandon our dreams of visiting sherpa mountaineering

world war sites in northern France were popularised and promoted only

communities.

museums in Nepal; nuclear missile bases in Ukraine; Darwinian wonders

once a reasonable time had passed. Likewise a guided tour of Anne

Aside from the ethical and philosophical dilemma of promoting specific

Frank’s house or the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, or even a walking tour of Jack the Ripper’s London.

sites as visitor attractions, what undeniably turns them into dark tourism

Everyone loves a good cause. Sponsor a turtle, hug a tree. The answer for emerging tourism destinations demands more thought.

have collectively reduced the time lag and geographical distance between the incidence of death-related events and their reporting by increasingly sensationalised news media, often in ‘real time’, to potential dark tourism consumers.

‘macabreness’ and individual consumer attitudes. Equally, motivations to

First, governments. There is little point in UK government and aid

bored with the Gambia and Caribbean so we owe it to the communities

visit them will also likely change over time to such an extent that what

agencies throwing cash at governments in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

we’ll be doing business with in a few years’ time to give them the best

was once a commemorative memorial becomes regarded as a tourist

It can benefit privileged politicians and sink like brandy into the sand.

opportunity to succeed.

attraction. For example, over half a million people visit Auschwitz, the

What’s needed is high level commitment to training across the supply

largest Nazi concentration camp annually. This ‘free admission’ site

chain so that businesses within local communities prosper.

Whilst the motivations of purposeful, casual or incidental visitors to

‘repackaged’ museum visitor centre which has been ‘sensitively

‘Ground Zero’ or tsunami-affected Thailand are complex and difficult to

modernised’ to incorporate victims’ artefacts and exhibits relocated from

unpick, it may be argued that there is a growing market of consumers

the neighbouring Birkenau site. With accompanying foreign language-

with an intrinsic fascination for ‘the macabre’. Moreover, they are

translated film and guidebooks, augmented with the opportunity to

exacerbating the speed with which the custodians of the sites and the

purchase a range of souvenirs, for certain visitors, Auschwitz now seems

wider tourism industry are commodifying and commercialising them. 1

to have lost some degree of authenticity in order to increase visitation and generate revenue.

Dark Tourism Spectrum and consumption of the myriad of dark tourism products is supply-driven by an internationally fragmented dark tourism industry, or demand-led

As interest in dark tourism continues to grow apace and new ‘attractions’ emerge, it is important that site custodians and suppliers focus their product development and marketing sharply on ensuring they get the balance right between passive visitation for commemorative reasons or

by a diversely-motivated visitor market. Uncertainty also surrounds whether people visit dark tourism sites out of respect, remembrance or for voyeuristic reasons; to be educated or entertained. A visit to the London Dungeons, Ground Zero, graveyards or other places where

Second, commercial and NGO partnerships. People, and tourism businesses, in the poorest communities don’t generally want a cash handout. Nor do they always need a gap year student to come and help

Simon Thorp FTS | Head of Sales and Marketing | Como Street Travel

dig a well. What they often need is “skills transfer” to equip them with all the lasting knowledge required to sustain themselves. Everything: management, catering, hygiene… Contrary to some opinion, if training is relevant to a community’s needs, then it will pay as much as it can afford to accommodate a volunteer expert advisor. People don’t want to be patronised with free handouts, they know the value of learning something of lasting economic and social benefit.

creating ‘experiences’ for commercial exploitation.

Commercial and volunteer organisations can work brilliantly together.

Paul Williams MTS | Principal Lecturer | Staffordshire University

Corporate social responsibility partnerships allow skilled staff time off work to support NGO projects to go and train people who have had such a hard bargain driven against them (anyone else thinking oil, low cost

celebrities either died or are buried, a guided ‘ghostly tour’ of Edinburgh, famous battle re-enactments, or a school trip to Chernobyl are all forms

These are not “weasel words”. It’s about offering to transfer skills to real people, for the benefit of countries we purport to care so much about.

encompasses a three-hour guided tour around the camp and the

There is an ongoing debate as to whether the growth in the production

at least offer to equip people and businesses in those “destinations of tomorrow” with the skills we take for granted. Holidaymakers may get

attractions and differentiates them is their perceived level of

Globalisation and the ubiquity of 24-hour communications technology

in Galapagos, or newly-established wildlife parks in Bolivia. But we must

www.dark-tourism.org.uk

food, even tour operator hotel contracts?).

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Page 20

The state of volunteer tourism

Assistance or Exploitation?

Branding Rash, a Vision or a Collection Branding is becoming like a rash, it is appearing all over the place.

deliver it. Then it is about the customer being served within that

Everyone believes they are doing it and in recent weeks I have heard the

atmosphere; the atmosphere of inclusion and therefore ownership from

word trip of the tongues of industry influencers as diverse as investment

both sides. Stewardship of the core values become second nature,

bankers and hospitality magazine editors. In its pure sense, its real

delivery beyond those values becomes the norm.

application, it is seldom understood. This is not the preserve of the elite. I have been instrumental and Time and again I wince at the way people add “the brand” to what they believe they are doing or achieving. One international accountancy company which tracks hotel growth, said

We should also admire those leaders who recognise that what they offer

in 2005 and 2006. Their analyst added “As best as I can count, we have

is a group of different experiences. It would be better if more

234 hotel brands; in 1980 there were 81.”

commentators and owners would acknowledge that there are groups and

Volunteering gives people the opportunity to fulfil their altruistic

This is palpable nonsense and a good example of how non-marketing

In simple terms a volunteer holiday can be defined as a holiday where

ambitions and allows others to benefit.

practioners glibly use branding to describe growth. Yes there are new product and yes there are new concepts but please don’t claim to the

environment. It has potential to be hugely positive and responsible for all involved. Unfortunately its worthy reputation is at risk due to some bad

More recently however volunteer tourism is surrounded by controversy as there is a growing number of returning volunteers who have been hugely disappointed and disillusioned by their experience. The BBC

practices and controversy.

recently reported that volunteers had nothing to do; they were not

world that this is a new brand. Simply putting a new name over the door to compliment a new design concept or to capture a market whether by price point or by segment such as leisure or conference, does not magic a

needed or wanted on their projects. Some companies offer volunteer

dramatically in the 1990s. Today it is still growing with more

trips which are poorly organised or fail to provide voluntary work that is

Becoming a brand has much more to do with how the creators of the

organisations and trips on offer than ever. Due to its popularity volunteer

actually needed in host countries. This might suggest some organisations

image hold a passion and a vision to inculcate their people with the

tourism produced 40,000 volunteers last year.

are not placing altruism high on their agenda but using volunteering

delivery of that vision. Let me give you an example. You know when you

solely as a vehicle for profit making. Is this an indication that the concept

are in a Malmaison or Hotel du Vin that the hotel you are in -- whether

of volunteer tourism is being exploited? The emphasis of volunteer

Glasgow Oxford or Winchester - is part of the family genes.

volunteers; regardless of age, fitness level or relevant experience.

tourism is shifting from the benefits for host countries to the volunteers

Volunteers can embark on almost anything imaginable: counting beetles

themselves who perhaps see it as just another way to travel.

in Costa Rican rainforests, teaching Math to South African school

collections as well as brands. Sir Rocco Forte has changed the name of his wonderful hotels to The Rocco Forte Collection to reflect not only its growth by also the individuality of the nine, soon to be eleven, properties. What an excellent example and one that should provoke reflection by those who want to launch yet another brand.

brand into existence overnight.

Volunteer tourism started in the UK as early as the 1970s and increased

This niche market is extremely diverse, offering a vast range of trips for

international full service names. At its best branding is a balance, a fusion of the dreamer of the product and the provider of the service.

there were a total of 24 new hotel brand launched in the United States

Volunteer tourism is an interesting niche market within the UK industry.

altruistic activities undertaken by volunteers benefit others or the

privileged to seeing it work in budget hotel brands as well as

Stuart Harrison FTS | Principal | The Profitable Hotel Company

Both hotel groups were born out of a passion and a vision. Although their original founders are no longer involved, and that they are currently both

children, building water wells for remote villages in Ecuador or

There is a lot at stake for volunteer tourism as it can be extremely

owned by the same large property company, they still exude an attitude

participating on archaeological digs in Cambodia. Trips can last from

responsible and positive. Its potential to have further positive impacts

of service within an atmosphere created through product and design that

5 days to 18 months and reach all parts of the world. There is something

through its growth should be fully explored. However, some of the recent

defines the brand.

on offer for everyone. In recent years even public figures such as Prince

practices are putting its commendable reputation severely at risk. It

William have volunteered.

would be a real shame and a great missed opportunity should the

The fact that the same man – Robert Cook – who was part of the original passion at Malmaison, leads the two brands helps abundantly.

industry fail to address these concerns and restore the integrity of Volunteer tourism can be extremely positive for everyone involvedvolunteers, hosts and the environment. Host countries can benefit from volunteering projects making a positive impact to the environment and people. It can make a positive contribution where there is a need. So

volunteer tourism. To do so fast action is needed: The industry need to

Talk to Robert’s people who were not around in either of those

ensure quality and standards. Potential volunteers need to be clear what

companies at the beginning of the journey and you will see they have

they want to achieve and ask organisations the right questions when

picked up, indeed inherited, the essence of the brand. In my days with

choosing their trip.

Marriott it was the same. As a guest today it still appears to be the same.

Claudia Eckardt MTS

Brand integrity is about people; people who understand the business they

positive is the impact that United Nations Volunteers is campaigning for volunteering to be an integral part of sustainable development.

are in and the atmosphere and expectations in which they consistently

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Quarter 3 ISSUE 133 Autumn 2007

Email: journal@tourismsociety.org

Website: www.tourismsociety.org

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Tourism Alliance Q: Is the organisation name â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tourism Allianceâ&#x20AC;? an oxymoron? A: It depends when the question was asked.

Almost there! From the Tourism Society Consultantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Group This is our Andy Williams moment (if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know the song or who he

The new name for the Consultants Group will be:

is - never mind!)

Tourism Consultants

Whilst the Tourism Society has always had close relationships with the Tourism Alliance, it is only in the last two years that this became

Testing on the new TSCG website/online directory has begun; an example

formalised, with the Society participating in the TA roll of member

of how it will look is below.

organisations. Now, just over 6 years on, the 50-strong list makes impressive reading, and truly justifies the name Tourism Alliance. Take a look at the Members Directory, and other information, on the

People in all the right places

www.tourismalliance.com website.

Worldwide Experience & Skills The TA has an elected Board, which meets about every 6 weeks. The

Chris Wikeley FTS | Chairman | TSCG

Board elects a Chair â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ros Pritchard OBE of British Holiday and Home Parks has just taken over from Tony Millns of English UK. Kurt Janson, formerly a policy and strategy executive with VisitBritain joined the TA in 2005 as Policy Director, and the TA was delighted when Richard Lambert, the CBIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new Director, recently took over the Chair of the Alliance. This is an exciting time for the TSCG as this initiative is in direct response The recent topic menu of the TA has included: a possible â&#x20AC;&#x153;bed taxâ&#x20AC;?, visa

to our recent membership survey. The web site will be more effective in

charges, local authorities tourism responsibilities, a â&#x20AC;&#x153;barometerâ&#x20AC;? of UK

bringing the membership to the notice of potential clients who are

tourism performance, Olympics Tourism issues, planning, the inadequacy

looking for specific skills. It will also facilitate promotion of the TSCG to

Is there any other industry as fragmented as Tourism? In fact, Tourism is

of Government funding, skills, APD increases, Licensing Fees and

global contacts to generate more business for everybody!

not an industry, but an activity, spanning many areas of economic, social

burdensome regulations.

and cultural activity. No wonder that historically, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s constituent sectoral associations in hospitality, attractions, transport, local authorities, tourist delivery organisations, in the public and private sectors, multi-national or minute, found it so hard to form common views and communicate among themselves, let alone with Government. No wonder the 150,000

The publicity programme to launch the site will include a mail shot and There is no doubt that the Alliance has gained real stature with

electronic links as well as producing business cards for ongoing publicity.

Government. Regular liaison meetings are held with DCMS. The TA

Personal visits will be carried out wherever possible â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it is our aim to get

participates in all Government Consultations over all issues that can help

this show truly on the road answering the needs of the membership.

or hinder Tourism. A series of Breakfast meetings is held with Government Ministers at which TA members get the opportunity to

SMEs found it ever harder to rise above the mountains of bureaucracy

present issues face to face. These have helped strengthen the awareness

and red tape, and compete for custom, at home and abroad.

of tourism across departmental boundaries. When the issues demand it,

We need your help to get the news of this new website/online directory out to global contacts. Let me or the secretariat know of any contacts that we could use to spread the word. Some of you may be reticent to give names in case it increases competition but clients may wish to use

So in the aftermath of Foot and Mouth, jealous of Farmers clout, the

publications, background papers and press releases are produced to

Tourism Alliance was born. The Association of Leading visitor Attractions,

present the facts of the case. Contributions have been made to all 3 main

British Hospitality, and a handful of major founding organisations, led the

political parties at Westminster as they prepare their pre-election,

initiative and agreed to set up an Alliance, just as the CBI were keen to

Tourism policy manifestos. There are an increasing number of occasions

Groups, organisations and others bodies are appreciated â&#x20AC;&#x201C; we will do the

have a continuing involvement following the demise of their Tourism

when the TA is asked by the media to be â&#x20AC;&#x153;the Voice of Tourismâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

leg work to get to the individual contacts.

Action Group. Success has many parents, so it was that Tessa Jowell, as

meeting one of the key objectives of its founders and a high priority for

Secretary of State, announced itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s formation, claiming it as a successful

current members. Oxymoron no moreâ&#x20AC;Ś..if eligible, is your organisation

outcome of Labourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hartwell House tourism â&#x20AC;&#x153;summitâ&#x20AC;? in 2001. Lord

linked to, and supporting, the Tourism Alliance? If not, why not?

microphone of the Today programme, whenever it was most needed.

this information.

Distribution is essential as we all know. An analogy with guide publishing

)RU WUXO\ HIIHFWLYH DGYHUWLVLQJ VROXWLRQV VSHDN WR D VSHFLDOLVW QRERG\ XQGHUVWDQGV \RXU PDUNHW TXLWH OLNH $UWDYLD $ ZHDOWK RI H[SHULHQFH HQDEOHV XV WR SURYLGH SURIHVVLRQDO DQG FRQVLGHUHG VHUYLFH WR FRPSDQLHV ERWK ODUJH DQG VPDOO &UHDWLYLW\ FRPPLWPHQW DQG XQEHDWDEOH YDOXH FRPH DV VWDQGDUG ,Q WRGD\ V IDVW SDFHG DQG HYHU FKDQJLQJ ZRUOG NQRZOHGJHDEOH DGYLFH LV SDUDPRXQW 7R HQVXUH \RXU DGYHUWLVLQJ GHOLYHUV UHVXOWV FRQWDFW 6DPDQWKD %R\OLQJ DW VDPDQWKDER\OLQJ#DUWDYLD FR XN

can be seen â&#x20AC;&#x201C; anyone can produce a guide, that is the easy part, but

Ken Robinson FTS | Director | Leisure, Tourism & Recreation Ltd

please play your part and suggest contacts for us to use to help spread the word about the site.

The Tourism Society Journal

Quarter 3 ISSUE 133 Autumn 2007

W Z DUWDYLD FR XN

distribution and getting it into the hands of the user is the hard part. So

Digby Jones, the CBI Director General, became the TA Chairman, giving the TA the advantage of a foot in the door of No10, and a voice at the

other skills than those already employed and they will welcome having

0DUNHW /HDGHUV LQ 8. 7RXULVP

Email: journal@tourismsociety.org

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TOM JENKINS PIC?

Page 24

Feedback

The Olympics 2012

2012 Olympics Accommodation

The place to start is the opening ceremony. John Morse of the Australian

Australia should not have been surprised. As was raised in the last issue,

The Caravan Club is ready, willing and waiting to work with the various

Tourism Commission was interviewed during the 2000 games and

every city that hosts an olympic games suffers disruption to the normal

Olympics delivery bodies and local authorities to provide modular

asserted that “in excess of 3.5 billion people around the world saw the

flow of visitors. The olympics removes tourists and replaces them with

temporary sites for caravanners, motor caravanners and tent campers.

opening ceremony and saw just how creative, innovative and the great

officials, journalists and spectators. These are here for the games, and they

These will offer – at a minimum – security, quality facilities and easy

things that we can do down here. It was, I understand, the largest

do not behave as tourists do. As it takes time to rebuild the momentum

access to transport links (by public transport, cycle way or footpath) to

watched show in the history of the world”

of demand, in the post games year tourism growth stalls and declines.

the sporting venues. We have experience over many years of successfully running such sites but of course this success is crucially dependent on

So a vast television audience sits spellbound at swathes of

having a workable lead time to complete the necessary negotiations and

choreographed lycra. They are so moved at this that they experience “a

to plan accordingly.

good impression” not just of the host city, but the country in which it is set. This induces them to visit the country in question.

Fiona Bewers MTS | Corporate PR Manager | The Caravan Club

The trouble with this argument is simple. The first half is not true, and

Tourism Society QP Col

2/8/07

2:09 pm

Page 1

the second half does not work. The television audience for an olympic games is absurdly exaggerated. According to the IOC the 2000 games were viewed by “3.6 billion” people. But these people did not watch the games: the figure is a count of all the people on earth who live in countries where the games are televised. As such, it is meaningless figure. The opening ceremony is unlikely to attract more than the estimated 160 million that watch a world cup final. Even a one-one draw has more narrative thread than the synchronized swim on land that launches an olympics. Barcelona – like Sydney - is widely deemed to have had a “good” games, As for induced tourists, a comparative graph of arrivals in Australia

and is often cited as the shining example of a tourism “legacy”. But as

plotted against New Zealand is revealing:

can be seen in this graph, Barcelona benefited chiefly from the huge surge in demand for city-break destinations during the latter half of the 1990’s. When plotted against similarly sized and positioned cities the

Following on from the articles in the Summer Issue, we were interested to read the differing views of the contributors as to the importance of the Games to tourism and what their legacy will be.

“olympic effect” disappears. The London games are happening. It is important to London that they are successful. But they have to be seen for what they are: a lavish celebration of normally unpopular sports. It is a party: enjoy it, clear up and pay the bill. From this process there is little tourism redemption to be enjoyed. Those who watch their athletes perform on television will

caravans are the accommodation option of choice for European sports

Paralympics will be any different. They offer flexibility for a multi-venue sporting event and so we need to be ready for their arrival en masse. If we don’t plan to accommodate them we could be faced with traffic

record” said Christopher Brown of Australia’s Tourism and Transport

chaos, wild camping – and some very disgruntled local residents!

Forum, “there were fewer tourists five years after the games than before”.

event that is usually blamed for the slump). This graph is duplicated

“Where the bloody hell are you?” asked the ATC. There was not an

when plotted with US and Japanese arrivals. These important origin

answer: the world was still watching sport on TV.

It is clear that with the estimated 9.6 million spectator ticket sales, plus a press corps in excess of 20,000, London’s 120,000 anticipated hotel rooms will not be enough. So the potential is there for caravan

markets are the two highest spending television audiences for the olympics. They watched the most, they had the most money: they still

Tom Jenkins MTS | Executive Director | ETOA, European Tour Operators Association

accommodation to provide an ideal, low cost and sustainable solution, for both domestic and overseas visitors.

The Tourism Society Journal

Quarter 3 ISSUE 133 Autumn 2007

For further details, please contact The Caravan Club Press Office on 01342 336664 or email press@caravanclub.co.uk or visit our award-winning website www.caravanclub.co.uk

fans, and there is no reason to think that the 2012 Olympics and

switch their attention to the next event. “Sydney has set a new Olympic The downward trend in Australia started before September 2001 (an

preferred the land of Gollum over the Thorpedo.

The experience of the 2006 World Cup in Germany, tells us that motor

In our Centenary year, we’re pleased to be the Tourism Society’s newest corporate member!

Email: journal@tourismsociety.org

Website: www.tourismsociety.org

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Page 26

Linda Tuttiett MTS Hadrians Wall Heritage Ltd T: 01434 609 700 E: linda.tuttiett@hadrianswallheritage.co.uk W: www.hadrianswallheritage.co.uk

Membership News

Louise Wood MTS National Caravan Council T: 01252 716064 E: louisew@nationalcaravan.co.uk W: www.nationalcaravan.co.uk

Gold Corporate Members

Welcome New Fellows Welcome to our 3rd redesigned journal. The theme of this issue will reflect the subject of our 2008 conference due to take place on 19th & 20th June 2008 in St Helens, Merseyside.

David Campbell FTS AEG Europe T: 0207 536 2610 E: dcampbell@aegworldwide.co.uk W: www.aegworldwide.co.uk

I was very pleased to receive the feedback from the last issue (see page 23) and hope that this will become the start of a regular feature. If you have any feedback from this issue please do email the office on journal@tourismsociety.org

Peter R Cowen FTS BT Plc T: 07710 070 852 E: peter.r.cowen@bt.com

Malcolm Wood FTS was kind enough to send through his comment on the last issue: ‘The last “sports tourism” edition was nothing short of magnificent!’ A special welcome and thanks go to our new Corporate members from The Caravan Club and Visit London. They join Artavia Advertising, Superbreak & Travel GBI to make a total of 5 corporate members. If your organisation is interested in corporate membership please do not hesitate to contact me. Flo Powell, MTS Executive Director, The Tourism Society

Upgrade to Fellow Congratulations to: Alan Heppenstall FTS Cumbria Blue Badge Guide Sarah Osborne FTS Independent Consultant Paul Ridoutt FTS Eurofield International Management Consultants Peter Sloyan FTS Brightangles Simon Thorp FTS Travelox Rita Williams FTS Greenwich Community College

Peter Hancock FTS Pride of Britain Hotels T: 01666 824 666 E: peter@prideofbritainhotels.com W: www.prideofbritainhotels.com Terry Marsh FTS Freelance Travel Writer & Photographer T: 01772 321 243 E: countrymatters@gmail.com

Welcome New Members Richard Adler MTS Rooster PR T: 020 7953 8774 E: richard.adler@rooster.co.uk W: www.rooster.co.uk John Barton MTS National Outdoor Events Association T: 020 8669 8121 E: secretary@noea.org.uk W: www.noea.org.uk Nick Baumber MTS Salisbury District Council T: 01722 434 521 E: nbaumber@salisbury.gov.uk W: www.visitsalisbury.com Katarzyna Bednarczyk MTS Wyzsza Szkola Hotelarstwa I Gastronomii E: m.rachlewicz@europress.pl Kevin Brett MTS Hat Marketing T: 020 8393 9988 E: Kevin@hatmarketing.com W: www.hatmarketing .com Ross Calladine MTS Scott Wilson T: 01235 468 700 E: ross.calladine@scottwilson.com W: www.scottwilson.com

Malcolm Castelow MTS MK Associates T: 01579 324 156 E: malcolm@mk-associates.co.uk W: www.mk-associates.co.uk Claudia Eckardt MTS Consultant T: 01704 537 845 E: Claudia.eckhart@gmail.com Carrie England MTS London Employer Coalition T: 020 7238 0766 E: carrie.england@dwp.gsi.gov.uk Julia Feuell MTS New Frontiers T: 0207 923 6429 E: mailto:dominic@dottourism.com W: julia@newfrontiers.co.uk Donna Gelardi MTS International Tourism Partnership T: 020 7467 3622 E: donna.gelardi@iblf.org W: www.tourismpartnership.org Phil Hackett MTS Shakespeare Country T: 01926 621 782 E: phil.hackett@shakespeare-country.co.uk W: www.shakespeare-country.co.uk James Jessamine MTS Consultant T: 07908 677 558 E: j.jessamine@btinternet.com Andrew Lloyd Hughes MTS Designate T: 02920 377 300 E: andrewlh@designate.co.uk

Fiona Bewers MTS The Caravan Club T: 01342 366 664 E: fiona.bewers@caravanclub.co.uk W: www.caravanclub.co.uk Emma Cosby MTS The Caravan Club T: 01342 336857 E: emma.cosby@caravanclub.co.uk W: www.caravanclub.co.uk Ken Faulkner MTS The Caravan Club T: 01342 336 711 E: ken.faulkner@caravanclub.co.uk W: www.caravanclub.co.uk Brian Richardson MTS The Caravan Club T: 01342 336 791 E: brian.richardson@caravanclub.co.uk W: www.caravanclub.co.uk James Bidwell MTS Visit London T: 020 7234 5800 E: jbidwell@visitlondon.com W: www.visitlondon.com Sally Chatterjee MTS Visit London T: 020 7234 5800 E: schatterjee@visitlondon.com W: www.visitlondon.com David Hornby MTS Visit London T: 020 7234 5800 E: dhornby@visitlondon.com W: www.visitlondon.com Ken Kelling MTS Visit London T: 020 7234 5800 E: kkelling@visitlondon.com W: www.visitlondon.com

Students

Alison MacWilliam MTS North Highland College T: 01847 889 386 E: alison.macwilliam@thurso.uhi.ac.uk

Susanne Bressel Birmingham College of Food, Tourism & Creative Studies E: bresselsusanne@hotmail.com

Mark McVay MTS St Paul’s Cathedral T: 0207 246 8314 E: mark@stpaulscathedral.org.uk W: www.stpaulscathedral.org.uk

Claudio Giambrone University of Westminster T: 01926 621 782 E: claudio.giambrone@hotmail.com

Helen Talbot MTS World Choice UK Ltd T: 01733 390 900 E: htalbot@worldchoice.co.uk

NOTICE TO ALL MEMBERS: Please remember to inform the Society of any changes to your details so that our database is kept up-to-date.

Events Calendar The Tourism Society’s growing regional network groups in Wales, Yorkshire, Scotland and The South-West all offer networking events and discussion panels on a regular basis. While a new midlands group is underway, we are looking for volunteers to spearhead groups in the Channel Islands, Dublin and Belfast. Please see the website or contact the office for further details or if you would like to be involved in launching these new areas. Getting involved at a regional level greatly enhances the benefit of membership of the Tourism Society through new contacts and business opportunities. Alison Cryer FTS, Chairman, Tourism Society.

OCTOBER 2007 3rd TOURISM SOCIETY WALES JAZZ AT BRAZZ BRAZZ Cardiff, Cardiff Bay

Quarter 3 ISSUE 133 Autumn 2007

5th TOURISM SOCIETY & TRAVMEDIA ANNUAL MEDIA MASTERCLASS Holborn Bars, London

7th TOURISM SOCIETY SCOTLAND & VISITSCOTLAND TOPIC TBC Edinburgh

14th TOURISM SOCIETY WALES E-MARKETING VS TRADITIONAL MARKETING Bodelwyddan Castle, North Wales

26th RESPONSIBLE TOURISM University of Surrey, Guildford

3rd TOURISM SOCIETY SCOTLAND & VISITSCOTLAND DESTINATION MARKETING Ocean Point, Edinburgh

4th TOURISM SOCIETY SOUTH WEST NETWORKING & PANEL DISCUSSION Sandy Park Stadium, Exeter

DECEMBER 2007 5th TOURISM SOCIETY SCOTLAND & VISITSCOTLAND INFLATION Edinburgh

JANUARY 2008 10th PROSPECTS FOR 2008 Sofitel St James, London

9th STARS OR STRIPES? What is the future of hotel and tourist accommodation marketing? The Bonnington Hotel, London

18th TOURISM SOCIETY ANNUAL DINNER NETWORKING & PANEL DISCUSSION House of Commons, London

JUNE 2008 19th - 20th TOURISM SOCIETY ANNUAL CONFERENCE St Helens

FUTURE EVENTS Future event topics: •

The Female Role in Travel & Tourism

•

Lifeskills Training Workshops

•

Delivering a quality tourism product

•

Careers in Travel & Tourism

24th TRAINS, PLANES & AUTOMOBILES TRANSPORT IN BRITAIN: DRIVING TOURISTS OUT? MIC Conference Centre, London

The Tourism Society Journal

NOVEMBER 2007

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